CFL Sees Ratings Drop From Last Year On Both TSN, The CBC

After “record-breaking numbers last year,” ratings for the CFL on TSN and the CBC have dropped this year, according to Jonathan Huntington of the EDMONTON SUN. Through the first half of the season, TSN has seen a decline of 37,000 viewers to an average of 329,000. Viewership for the CBC’s coverage has dropped 51,000 viewers per game from a year ago. TSN Communications Manager Andrea Goldstein said viewership in Ontario “is down, due to the loss of Ottawa and the poor performances by the Argonauts and Tiger-Cats.” Goldstein added the Eskimos-Stampeders game on June 17 drew just 176,000 viewers, as it went head-to-head with Game Six of the Hurricanes-Oilers Stanley Cup Finals (EDMONTON SUN, 8/28).

MISSING IN ACTION: In Toronto, William Houston reports TSN aired a feature titled “A CFL Success Story” during the pregame show for Argonauts-Blue Bombers Friday night, in which Commissioner Tom Wright “took some of the credit” for league revenue being up 300% during the last five years. However, former Commissioner Mike Lysko “wasn’t even mentioned, although he was hired largely on the strength of his perceived marketing skills.” The omission “was glaring and even suspicious, given that Lysko is suing the league, claiming wrongful dismissal” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 8/29).